Brake-operating mechanism.



PATBNTED JAN. 10, 1905.

G. MAWER. BRAKE OPERATING MECHANISM.

APILIOATION FILED SEPT. 20 1904.

UNITED STATES Patented January 10, 1905 PATENT OFFICE.

BRAKE-OPERATING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,862, dated January 10,1905.

Application filed September 20, 1904. Serial No. 225,260-

T0 at] whom w may concern;

Be it known that 1, CES MAWER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harpster, in the county of Vyandot and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Brake-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to brake-operating mechanism for cars and other vehicles; and its object is twofold: first, to provide a construction of parts whereby the brake may be set by a back-and-forth movement or'oscillation of the hand-wheel or its equivalent on the brake-shaft, thus obviating the necessity of constantly turning said wheel in one direction and of the operator shifting his grip for this purpose, with the resulting advantages of enabling the brakes to be more rapidly and easily set, and, second,to provide means which will permit of the instantaneous release of the brake, and thus diminish the wear and tear encountered in the ordinary construction of brake mechanism from the jolting of the car and jarring of the parts of the brake mechanism.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of the features of construction, combination, and'arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a brake-operating mechanism embodying my invention, the casing of the same appearing in vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents a brakeshaft provided with a hand-wheel or equivalent operating device 2. This shaft is journaled in the top and bottom walls of a casing 3, in which a draw-head 4 is arranged to slide. The draw-head 1 is shown in the present instance in the form of an oblong rectangular frame comprising end bars 5 and 6, side bars 7 and 8, and an intermediate longitudinal bar 9, the bar 6 being provided with an ear or projection 10 for connection with the operatingchain 11 of the brake mechanism. (Not shown.) The bars 7 and 8 are provided upon their outer faces with rack-teeth 12, and the upper edge of the intermediate bar 9 is provided with a series of ratchet-teeth 13. The draw-head 4 is vertically arranged in the casing 2 and is provided at suitable points with projecting lugs 14, which fit and slide in guide grooves or ways 15, formed at the top and bottom of the casing 3, whereby the said draw-head 4: is guided to move in a'true path and prevented from having lateral or sidewise motion.

The shaft 1 carries two sets of gears for imparting motion to the head 4 through the two rack-bars 7 and 8, said gears being controlled in operation through the instrumentality of clutch devices, so as to operate alternately when the shaft 1 is oscillated by means of its operating device 2 to impart continuous movement to the head 4: in one direction to draw upon the chain 11, and thereby set the brake mechanism. Fixed to the shaft above the bar 7 is a fixed clutch-head 16, provided with clutch-teeth to engage corresponding teeth on a clutch-collar 17, which is loosely mounted on said shaft and carries a spur gearwheel 18, which meshes with the teeth 12 of the rack-bar 7. The said collar 17 is formed with an annular groove 19, receiving pins on a yoke 20, formed upon one end of a shiftinglever 21, fulcrumed intermediately upon a rod or bolt 22, extending transversely through the upper portion of the casing 2. This pinand-groove connection of the shifting-lever permits the collar 17 to rotate with the shaft -1 without affecting said lever, and the purpose of the latter is to impart downward movement to the collar when occasion requires to throw said collar out of engagement with the clutch-head 16 to release the brake mechanism in the manner hereinafter described.

Shaft 1 carries below the clutch-collar 17 a second clutch-head 23, which is provided at its lower edge with teeth to engage corresponding teeth on a clutch-collar 24:, to which is fixed a spur gear-wheel 25. This spur gearwheel is of restricted diameter and is not in direct mesh with the teeth of the rack-bar 8, but communicates motion thereto through a gear-wheel 26, with which it meshes and which in turn meshes with the teeth of the bar 8. The clutch-head 23 has a spline-and-groove connection with the shaft 1, so that it may slide vertically thereon as well as turn therewith, while the clutch-collar 23 is loose upon said shaft and is operated to transmit motion to the gear-wheels 25 and 26 only when the straight abutting faces of its teeth are in contact with the similar faces of the teeth of the head 23, so that in one direction of movement of the shaft 1 no motion will be imparted to the gear-wheel 25, while in the reversed direction of rotation of the shaft 1 said gear will be turned to impart motion to the gearwheel 26. The two sets of clutch devices are of the usual type, each tooth having a straight abutting face and an inclined face, so that in one direction of operation of the shaft the teeth will interlock and transmit motion to the loose clutch member, while on the reverse movement of the shaft the teeth will slide upon one another and prevent operation of the loose clutch member. As shown in the presentinstance, the collar 17 and head 23 are normally held in engagement with the coacting head 16 and collar23 by an interposed coiled spring 27, which surrounds the shaft 1 between them and respectively permit the collar 17 to have downward and the head 23 to have upward movement on the shaft 1. It will be observed that the clutch-teeth of the clutch device 16 17 are so arranged as to interlock when the shaft 1 is turned to the left and to slide over each other when said shaft is turned to the right, while, on the other hand, the teeth of the clutch device 23 24 are so arranged as to interlock when the shaft 1 is moved to the right and to slide over each other when said shaft is moved to the left. It will thus be seen that when the brake-handle 1 is turned to the left the gear 25 will be fixed to the shaft and turned to the right to transmit motion to the draw-head 4 through the rack-bar 7 to slide said draw-head to the left in Fig. 1, and thereby draw upon the brake-chain 11 to operatively move the brakeshoes, while, on the other hand, the teeth of the clutch devices 23 and 24 will slip upon one another and allow the gear-wheels 25 and 26 to turn loosely under the movement of the rack-bar 8. When, however, the shaft 1 is turned to the right, the teeth of the clutch members 23 and 24 will interlock, while those of the clutch members 16 and 17 will slide upon each other, so that the gearwheel 25 will be fixed to the shaft and, through the gear-wheel 26, will transmit motion to the rack-bar 8 to slide the draw-head 4 in the di rection previously described-that is, to the left in Fig. l thus further drawing the brakechain 11, the gear-wheel 19 in this operation turning looselyon the shaft 1, so as to prevent interference through the rack-bar 7 with the described movement of the draw-head 4. By

this means the necessity of continuously turning the hand-wheel or analogous device 2 in one direction and of the operator shifting his grip thereon for this purpose to draw upon the chain 11 to set the brakes is avoided, and this operation may be effected without the necessity of the operator changing the position of his hands upon the wheel, as a backand-forth oscillation of the wheel will alternately impart motion to the two setsof gears and their clutch mechanism to move the drawhead 4 in one direction, and thereby pull upon the chain ll to set the brakes. This enables the brakes to be more quickly, easily, and conveniently set, a desideration when it is necessary to set the brakes with the greatest possible despatch.

As the draw-head 4 is intermittently moved outwardly to draw upon the chain 11 it is locked in adjusted position by means of a latch device consisting of a gravity-dog 28, pivoted at one end, as at 29, to the body of the casing 2 and provided at its opposite or free end with an upwardly and laterally bent locking-arm 30, adapted to engage the straight sides of the ratchet-teeth 13 of the bar 9, thus preventing retrograde movement of the drawhead 4 during the slight intervals between the throwing into action of the two sets of gears when the shaft 1 is oscillated. The free or latch end of the dog 28 is properly weighted to engage the teeth by gravity, and as the draw-head 4 moves forwardly said latch portion or arm 30 successively slides over the inclined faces of the teeth 8 and then drops into engagement with the straight or vertical side of said faces, thus locking the draw head against retraction in an obvious way.

In order to release the draw-head and permit its retraction to release the brakes, mechanism under control of the brakeman is provided to simultaneously disengage the clutch member 17 from connection with the clutch member 16 and release the locking-arm of the dog 28 from engagement with the teeth 13. This mechanism comprises a suitably arranged releasing-lever 31, intermediately pivoted, as at 32, and provided at one end with a pedal or foot-piece 33, normally suspended in uplifted position by a spring 34. The opposite end of the lever has a link connection with the upper end of a releasing-rod 35, which extends down into the casing 2 and is provided with a lug 36 and a bit or finger 37 to respectively engage the outer or free end of the clutch-shifting lever 20 and the locking-arm 30 of the dog 28. These lugs are so arranged that when the pedal 31 is depressed to raise the rod 35 the lug 36 will first engage lever 20 and force the clutch member 17 out of engagement with the clutch-head 16 and allow the gear 18 to turn loosely on the shaft 1, at which time the finger or projection 37 engages the latch-arm 30 and lifts the dog 28, thus allowing the draw-head 4 to be retracted IIO under the pull of thebrake mechanism through the chain 11. In this operation resistance to the retraction of the draw-head is obviated by the free rotation of the gear-wheels 18 and 25 loosely on the shaft 1, the gear-wheel 18 being released in the manner previously described, and the gear 25 in this operation turning loosely, owing to the fact that the inclined surfaces of its teeth slide freely over the corresponding surfaces of the teeth on the clutch-head 23.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of the invention will be understood without a further extended description. Changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In brake-operating mechanism, the combination of a brake-shaft, a brake-operating element, and means for transmitting continuous motion to said brake-operating element upon the oscillation of said shaft.

2. In brake-operating mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a brake-operating element,

and sets of power-transmitting devices oper bination of a shaft, a brake-operating element,

means for imparting continuous movement in one direction to said brake-operating element upon the oscillation of said shaft, means for locking the brake-operating element in adjusted position, and means for releasing the locking means.

5. In brake-operating mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a brake-operating element provided with rack-bars, sets of gears engaging said rack-bars, said gears being adapted to impart continuous movement in one direction to the brake-operating element upon the oscillation of the shaft, and clutch devices for alternately throwing said gears into and out of operation.

6. In brake mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a brake-operating element, means for imparting continuous movement in one direction to the brake-operating element upon the oscillation of said shaft, and intermittentlyacting locking devices operating to successively lock the brake-operating element in its adjusted position as it is intermittently moved forward, substantially as described. 7

7. In brake mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a brake-operating element, gearing alternately operating to impart motion in one direction to the brake-operating element upon the oscillation of the shaft, said gearing embodying clutch elements, means for locking the brake-operating element in adjusted position as it is moved by said gears, and means for simultaneously throwing the locking mechanism out of operation and disengaging a clutch element to reduce resistance to the retraction of the brake-operating element, substantially as described.

8. In brake-operating mechanism, the combination of a shaft, a brake-operating element provided with rack-bars, gearing on the shaft adapted to impart continuous movement in one direction to the brake-operating element through said rack-bars when the shaft is oscillated, clutch devices for alternately throwing the sets of gearing into and out of action, a locking member on the brake-operating element, a lock device adapted to engage said member, and means for releasing said locking device, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

(JES MAIVER. Witnesses:

JOHN L. FLETCHER, K. ALLEN. 

